H.R. 2851 — WISE Act — Project Euthyna

The public record · 119th Congress

WISE Act

Working for Immigrant Safety and Empowerment Act or the WISE Act

This bill expands eligibility for U nonimmigrant visas (victims of criminal activity) and prohibits immigration enforcement activities in specified areas.

Generally, U visas are for victims of specified crimes (e.g., rape, trafficking, or domestic violence) who assist with the investigation or prosecution of the crime. The bill adds hate crimes, child abuse, and elder abuse as crimes that may qualify a victim for a U visa and removes criteria related to the victim's assistance with the investigation or prosecution of the crime.

Furthermore, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must provide work authorization to U visa applicants, whereas currently DHS may grant work authorization but is not required to do so.

The bill also eliminates the annual numerical cap on U visas.

The bill establishes a rebuttable presumption that certain individuals, including U visa applicants and T visa (victims of human trafficking) applicants, shall not be detained while the application is pending.

Additionally, the bill provides immigration-related protections, such as by extending the admission period and providing work authorization, to the spouse or child of a nonimmigrant visa holder who subjected that spouse or child to battery or extreme cruelty.

Further, the bill prohibits, with some exceptions for exigent circumstances, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or U.S. Customs and Border Protection from conducting immigration enforcement actions within 1,000 feet of a school, health care facility, place of worship, or other location specified in the bill.

Other titles

the names this measure carries besides the one at the top of this page, each with the record's own label for it. The collection includes titles given to parts of a bill as well as to the whole.

To extend immigration benefits to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and other gender-based violence, and for other purposes.Official Title as Introduced

WISE ActShort Title(s) as Introduced

Working for Immigrant Safety and Empowerment ActShort Title(s) as Introduced

Legislative history

H.R. 2851·House·Bill·Immigration

Rep. Pramila Jayapal(Democratic-Washington-7)·

Apr 10, 2025

IntroducedIntroduced in House

Apr 10, 2025

HouseReferred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Apr 10, 2025

HouseReferred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Apr 10, 2025

HouseReferred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Apr 10, 2025

HouseReferred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Apr 10, 2025

HouseReferred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Apr 10, 2025

HouseReferred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Documents

Everything Congress printed about this measure. A bill is reprinted each time it changes, the Congressional Research Service summarizes each version, and the committee that reports a bill files its own written account of it.

Bill text

Apr 10, 2025As introduced in the House

Plain-language summaries

Apr 10, 2025Introduced in House